Pole-making apparatus



Sept. 15, 1925.

D. B. HANNA POLE MAKING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1921 3 Sheets-Shea? 2 Sept 15, 1925.

D. B. HANNA ROLE MAKING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 15, 1921 Patented Sept. 15,1925. g

' UNITED v STATES DAVID B.

HANNA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

GEO'RGEOUTTER COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

POLE-MAKING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 15, 1921. Serial No. 492,211.

To all wlwm it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID B. HANNA, a citizen .of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pole-Making Apparams, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to apparatus for the making of hollow concrete poles and the like, and in particular to loading bridge 'mechanism whereby the mold may be ,charged, introduced into the centrifugal machine and withdrawn therefrom.

One of the primary objects of my invention is the provision of an improved loading bridge by means of which the mold may be effectively charged and introduced into the machine and this with a less number of operations than has heretofore been the case chine and withdrawing it therefrom; and to the provision of an improved drive for such conveyer mechanism.

Still another object of my inventlon is to provide improved means for operating the loading bridge.

My invention also has for an object the provision of detailed features of improvements and combinations of parts hereinafter more specifically pointed out.

The foregoing, together with such other objects as may be incident to my invention,

I obtain by means of a construction illustrated in preferred form in the accompany- --ing? drawings, wherein;

ig. 1 is a side elevation in partial section of apparatus embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,"

drawn on an enlarged scale; Fig.4: is a diagrammatic illustration of a modification of my invention; and Fig. 5 is a view corre: sponding to Fig. 1, but illustrating still another modification of my invention.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the reference letterA indicates the end of a centrifugal machine such as shown and described in my copending application .Serial'No. 492,212, filed August 15, 1921; the reference letter B indicates a suitable foundation on which the loading bridge the I beams.

mechanism is tiltingly mounted, in the manner hereinafter to. be described; while the reference letter D indicates a pit into which the forward end of the loading bridge is dropped when the bridge is tilted for the charging operation. When the bridge is in the full line or horizontal position, it is in ahgnment with the machine so that the mold can be introduced into and withdrawn from such machine.

The loading bridge comprises a pair of I beams 7-,7, spaced apart and secured together by means of cross-members 8, of wh ch there are a plurality arranged at suitable intervals. The I beams and the cross members constitute a frame which is swingingly supported at about its middle portion throughthe medium of the hubs or trunmons 10 and 11, respectively secured to The ends of the hubs 10 and 11 are supported in suitable bearings 12 mounted on the base B, adjacent the pit D. The frame is rocked or tilted about the hubs 10 and 11 by means of the large gear segmentsl3 secured to the lower flanges of the I beams and having extended longitudinal engagement therewith. The segmental gears are moved by means of the pinions 14 on the shaft 15 which is turned by any suitable power means, such'as a reversible motor (not shown).

Mounted on each is a frame 8 carrying, at opposite ends, the rollers 16. These rollers are set at about an angle of 90 with respect to each otherand are provided with flanges 17. The feet of themold E are adapted to ride upon the rollers 16. The mold is shown, described and claimed in the aforesaid copending application and it will suffice for the purpose of this application tostate that the feet 18 of the mold extend longitudinally thereof, so that the mold will be supported by rollers throughout its length, the number of rollers engaged depending upon the length of the particular mold.

' It will be noted that the flanged rollers will securely support the mold when on the loading bridge. In order to prevent the mold from sliding during the tilting and during the charging operation, I provide a removable cross member 19 supported in blocks 20 having a T-shaped slot fitting the top flange of the I beams 7. By this arrangement I can readily adjust the blocks of the cross members 8 p on a shaft 24 mounted in the forward end of the bridge adjacent the machine A; A second conveyor chain 25 passes over a sprocket wheel 26 also mounted on the shaft 24 and over a sprocket 27 on the shaft 28, located at the opposite end of the bridge. The shaft 9 is turned through the medium of the gear 29, the pinion 30 mounted on the shaft 31 and the bevel gear 32 also.

mounted on shaft 31. The bevel' gear 32 is turned in one direction by abevel gear 33 and in the other by a bevel gear 34 arranged to mesh on opposite sides of the gear 32. Goals 33 and 34 are mounted. on the shaft 35, each of the ears 34 having an appropriate. clutch mec anism 36 and 37 for throwing it into and out of operation. The shaft 35 is operated by the motor 38 through the gearing 39.

This provides a simple and effective mechanism for reversing the direction of rota-* tion of the shaft 31 and consequently of the shaft 9, which results in the reversal or the direction of the movement of the dIlVG and conveyor chains. Two chains are used to simplify the drive which would otherwise be somewhat complicated were the conveyer chain directly driven owing to its v length and the fact that neither end of the bridge remains inthe same position at all times. Thejmold is moved by the chain 25 through'the means of a hooked rod 40, one end of which engages the chain and the other end the mold, this being an advantageous arrangement because it permits of the mold being entirel shoved into the machine, notwithstanding the fact that the chain 25 terminates short of the forward end of the bridge.

Similarly, it facilitates removal of the mold in the machine when the conveyer is reversed.

In the form of loadin bridge illustrated in Fig. 4, I employ a iiferent means for tilting the bridge. For this purpose, I provide a cable 41, the ends of which are secured to the respective ends of the bridge, the intermediate portion being passed through the pulley 42 mounted in the pit, through the pulley 43 adjacent the rear .end

- of the bridge and over the drum 44, which is preferably located nearer the rear than the forward end, so that the bridge can be easily tilted downward. It will be apparent that on rotation of the drum, the bridge will be tilted down or swung back, depending upon the direction of rotation.

' In the form illustrated in Fig. 5 the bridge is also the same in general" construction as that of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but in this case the bridge swings on an axis well toward the rear end of the. bridge. The pinion 14, however, is located at the bottomof the gears 13 so that in raising the bridge after the charging operation, the thrust through the gears 13 will be against the I beams of the bridge frame, thus preventing any possibility of pulling the gears from the beams. In this modification'it might be. desirable to counterbalance the bridge at the loading end thereof so that the elevating mechanism will. be required to liftonly the weight of the mold and the mate'- .rial which is spouted-therein and I have somewhat diagrammatically illustrated a simple and effective scheme for accomplish-' ing such counterbalancing. A weight 48 is suspended .in the pit on a cable 49 which is attached to abracket 50 on the bridge, the cable 49 running over a sheave 51 mounted between the standards 45. As the bridgev is lowered'the weight rises and as it is raised the weight goes down. g

The operation of the apparatus will be readily. understood. After the mold has been'bolted and placed upon the bridge, the bridge is tilted so that acharge of concrete may be-p'oured' into the mold, the charge being ordinarily sufiicient to about half fill the mold. The bridge is then swung back,

-the moldinserted in the machine after first removing the cross member 19, and the machine revolved. When the pole has been formed the mold is withdrawn from the machine. In order to facilitate insertion and removal standards 45 having. rollers 46 are arranged in the gap between bridge and y centrifugal machine. These rollers are in alignment with those on the bridge when the latter is in the full line position. Should the chain 25 need adjustment this may be done 'by t e take up mechanism 47 by means of which he shaft v24 may be shifted.

The apparatus is simple in construction and effective in operation and its advantages will be readily. .understood by those skilled in the art. I I claim:

1. In" centrifugal pole making apparatus,

the combination with the centrifugal ma- 2 chine of a tilting loading bridge adjacent an end thereof adapted to-receive the pole mold andprovided with an endless conveyor mechanism for advancing the mold into the machine.

' 2.- In centrifugal pole making'apparatus,

the combination with the centrifugal machine, of a tilting loading bridge'adjacent an-end thereof adapted to receive the le mold and providedlwith an endless c ain T conveyor for advancin the mold into the machine and withdrawing it therefrom.

3. In centrifugal pole making apparatus, the combination with the centrifugal machine of a tilting loading bridge adjacent .an .end thereof, adapted to receive the pole moldand provided with a reversible conveyor mechanism for advancing the mold into the machine. I

4. In centrifugal pole making apparatus, the combination with the centrifugal machine, of a tilting loading bridge adjacent an end thereof, provided with a plurality of I an end thereof antifriction devicesfor supporting a pole mold, a conveyor mechanism onthe brldge and means wherebythe mold may be auto-,

matically engaged with the conveyor.

5.. In centrifugal pole making apparatus,- the combination with the centrifugal ma-v veyor chain, and a member adapted to en gage with mold and chain,

7. In centrifugal pole making apparatus,

the combination with the centrifugal machine, of a tilting loading bridge" adjacent an end thereof adapted to receive the pole mold and provided with a conveyor chain,

and means adapted to engage with the mold chine, of a tiltin and with the chain, at a point away from the end of the mold. a

8. In centrifugal pole making-apparatus,

the combination with the centrifugal m m loading bridge adja nt.-

an end thereof a apted to receive the ole mold, extended hubs on which the bridge is revolubly mountedfor tilting, a shaft runnin through said hubs, an mec anism o erated from said shaft.

9. In centrifugal pole making apparatus,

the combination with the centrifugal ma loading bridge adjacent chine, of a tiltin anend thereofapted to-receive the pole mold, extended hubs on which the bridge is revolubly mounted for tilting, a shaft runningthrough said hubs, a conveyor mecha-' nism o erated from said shaft, and means for tilting the brid e. f

'10. In centrifuga p) le making apparatus, the combination wit the centrifugal machine, of a tiltin loading bridge adjacent anend thereof a apted to receive the pole mold, extended hubs on which the bridge is a shaft runrevolubly mounted for tilting d a reversible ningthrough said hubs, an

' therein, said rollers bcing flanged.

a conveyor I conveyor mechanism operated from saidshaft. 7

11. In pole making apparatus, a loading bridge comprising longitudinal side mem bers, cross. members secured thereto, and a reversible conveyor chain intermediate the side members extending longitudinally of 'the bridge.

. 12. In pole making apparatus, a loading I bridge comprising longitudinal side members, cross members secured thereto, and a reversible conveyor chain intermediate the side members extending longitudinally of the bridge and around the cross members.

- 13. In pole making apparatus, a loading bridge comprising longitudinal side members, cross members secured thereto, housingplates on cross members, and rollers mounted therein. v

14. In pole making a paratus, a loading bridge comprising longitudinal side members, cross members secured thereto, housing plates on cross members and rollers'mounted v15. In pole making apparatus, a loading bridge, a conveyor chain and a drive chain therefor extending longitudinally thereof,

and means for concurrently taking up slack in the chains.

16. In pole-making apparatus, a loading bridge, an extended hub on which the bridge is carried for tilting movement, a shaft running through the hub, and a conveyor operated from said shaft.

17. In pole making apparatus, a loading bridge, an extendedhub on which the bridge is carried for tilting movement, a shaft at each end ofthebridge having a sprocket, a

conveyor chain passing over said sprockets,

a second sprocket on one of said two shafts,

.and a chain drive from said first shaft for said second sprocket. 4

18. In pole making apparatus, a tilting loading bridge with a longitudinal conveyor chain and drive means therefor, a driveshaft coincident with the axis of tilting, and a chain drive from said shaft to said conveyor chain drive means;

19. In pole making apparatus, a tilting loading bridge, including a pair of sidemembers, a segmental. gear secured" to each side member, anda shaft having gears meshing with said segmental gears.

20. In pole making .apparatus, a tilting I loading bridge, a segmental gear secured thereto, and a driving gear meshing with said first gear and arranged in such manner that in ralsing the bridge the thrust on the segmental gear is toward the bridge.

testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

DAVID B. HANNA. 

